Audio spatialized sound systems are very popular in home entertainment systems, home computing systems, and other systems. For example, a conventional audio surround sound system includes multiple speakers positioned around a listener, such as speakers in front, to the sides, and behind the listener. A centralized digital signal processor (DSP) is typically used to generate audio signals for the speakers in order to provide desired spatial effects.
Another conventional audio surround sound system uses a “speaker bar” positioned only in front of a listener. A speaker bar typically represents an appropriately-sized elongated block that contains tens or even hundreds of speakers pointing in different directions. Desired spatial effects can be produced by bouncing sound from the speaker bar off walls beside or behind a listener. Once again, a centralized digital signal processor is typically used to generate audio signals for the speakers in the speaker bar in order to provide the desired spatial effects.
Beam forming technology has been used in various conventional audio spatialized sound systems. Beam forming refers to the ability to direct audio waves in a particular direction, rather than simply broadcasting the audio waves into free space. There are generally two types of beam forming techniques used today. Acoustic beam formers typically rely on the physical sizes and positions of the speakers to produce desired spatial effects. Electronic beam formers typically rely on signal processing that is performed by the centralized digital signal processors before audio signals are provided to the speakers. The processing performed by the centralized digital signal processors produces the desired spatial effects. The processed audio signals are then distributed from the centralized digital signal processors to the speakers.